Ahhhmazing

Ooops, I nearly forgot. Gosh, how can I?

Girls, today I celebrate my second year here in Thailand. I know, I couldn't believe it my self.

I don't want to go on and on how much I truly love my life here and how the country and its people have influenced and inspired me in countless ways.

In the end, I only have a few words to say...

khop khun maak krap!!!

Processing: Closet Talk Edition

Fresh from YM (like said two seconds ago)... regular YM ka-chikahan Fuchsiaboy and I were talking about my recent bout of shopping mania.

kawadjan: pero tama na. wala na akong space sa closet. [but that's enough. i don't have closet space anymore.]

fuchsiaboy: ilagay mo sa wall mga damit mo. gawing decoration. [hang your clothes on the wall as decorations.] that's what i do.


Awwww... Fuchsiaboy is really inspiring!

Mai Pen Rai

On the occasion of marking my second year here in BangCock I asked my self lately if the city changed me at all. In particular, I wondered if I've adopted any of the habits of the people, which I doubted coz I practically have no Thai close friends. (I know that's an ignominy but I've not stopped trying.)

With a little more introspection, however, I realized how my opinions on things have mellowed down, thanks to the Thais. Let me explain.

Many times when I ask Thais about their opinions on things (pretty much EVERY thing) they often tend to just say "It's OK". Full stop. Nothing too elaborate. I've always wondered if they are just being polite by not expressing very strong opinions about a subject or if they just don't care.

On the contrary, most of the Thais I know are just as concerned about things as everybody else, although it's quite true that frankness is not something I expect from them all the time.

More importantly, I GUESS because of Buddhism's immense influence on the culture, Thais might espouse a less judgmental stance on most things.

On the other hand, I grew up in a culture that puts a strong value on criticism. Filipinos always have something to say about EVERY thing. Pinoys generally like to analyze and take a stand and a person's relevance and intelligence is rooted on what he can dis.

In many cases, we especially like to disagree, which is exactly not "bad" because it gives a certain dynamism to discussions and it's good exercise of our analytical skills. However, too much of it can be toxic, especially if we think we are always right and everybody else is wrong. I noticed that it has become too prevalent for Pinoys to disagree just for the sake of disagreeing.

I used to be vociferous in defending my opinions as well. In fact, just like any regular Pinoy, I'd always have an instant opinion about ALL things. My statements tend to start with... "I like...", I don't like...", "I hate...", "You're wrong...", ""You're right...", "He's dumb...", "They should've...", etc.

I must've sounded very arrogant when I brought that attitude in Thailand. I'm not sure if I did really, I was totally unaware of such things then.

Since coming here though I've been influenced by the Thai's approach of non-judgment, if I may call it as such. I tend to see things just as they are and there's hardly any judgment reflex of either liking or approving, much less labeling things as bad or good.

At first I was concerned that I'm less analytical than I used to be. Does that make me less smart? Or is it just pure laziness on my part? Is it being superficial? At the end of the day, I realized it's fine not to have an opinion all the time. Yeah, on certain cases I can still have very strong opinions although I generally keep them to my self. Who cares what I have to say anyway?

Still increasingly, I'm hearing my self quipping "OK" more and more rather than "I like/don't like..." That approach has considerably lessened the noise in my head and I feel more attuned to that.

I don't know if this leads to a level of apathy. I think it is, especially if for instance I have less political opinions. Or that my sense of morals are more relativistic than many people I know. I don't even deem my opinion as more valid than others. Again, the effect is less mental pandemonium.

Instead of judging, I'm more inclined to put more effort in understanding things, people especially. Rather than labeling them as disagreeable/agreeable, I'm more curious how and why people think or behave a certain way.

Of course my more mellow take on things cannot be applied in all cases. I'm a natural, condescending bitch after all.

Perhaps I deliberately developed my non-judgmental approach and the attitude is less of something that just happened on its own. Perhaps part of it is the influence I get from my current environment. I'm not exactly sure, but somewhere along the way, I must've started on developing the habit of not having an opinion, to be less critical, to just accept things as they are, to just say "it's OK".

Is it necessarily a good direction to take? I'm not sure. It does not really matter.

(Again, the pictures do not have anything to do with this post. Love the curves of those bodies though, chai mai?)

Do you wanna be on top?

OMG, watch this first, bitches...

My colleagues and I went on a roadtrip to a few sites outside Bangkok (pictures in Facebook) and we eventually ended up in Ancient City, which I visited last month with another group of friends.

Because the place is super vast, I did not have the chance to see some of its parts on my first time there. Fortunately, when I returned last weekend we stumbled into this part of the site.

The moment I saw this I swear I had an orgasm... I practically shrieked, jumped off a moving golf cart, and ran towards the structue like a deranged bayot (well maybe I really am!)... of course to the bewilderment of my colleagues.

Looks familiar, bitches?

I can't believe I had the opportunity to walk on the same wooden planks Tyra Banks walked on five years ago when they shot the final runway show in which Joannie and Danielle were in the final two. They were wearing the truly amazing Thai brand Issue (check out their site!).

I swear it was the closest to heaven I ever got, I could've died a happy bayot right there and then.

So we had to stage our own Top Model competition, chai mai?

The final four had a group shot, and immediately P was eliminated because it turned out she is not tall enough to be a top model. Well, at least she can join the next cycle.

And then there were three... Tyra had two pictures in her hands. The girl she did not call had to return to the model house, pack her belongings, and go back to... Macau.

So Tyra pulled out Lakshmi Menon's picture, which made it obvious that Maggie Cheung did not make it to the cut because she is way too fat. No, this is not the season that Tyra's looking for a plus size model. Bye, bye, Maggie.

So it was between Lakshmi Menon and moi.

Time for the final runway... I worked that freaking runway like I owned it. I made sure that I applied everything that I learned from my clandestine catwalk lessons with Naomi Campbell and Natasha Poly.

I know I took Tyra's breath away.

In the final panel, Tyra said Lakshmi Menon's final photo is not acceptable to Covergirl Cosmetics because Lakshmi has a limited range. He can be high fashion but he cannot be commercial. Besides, he does not have a neck in all his pictures! What can be worse than that, aber?

So as predicted my picture was flashed on the screen.

All the judges praised me for my versatile look.

Noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker said I can do editorials for Vogue, US Weekly, and Preview Magazine and can even do catalogue for Neiman Marcus and Tesco Lotus.

Runway diva extraordinaire Jay Alexander believed I can reign over the couture runways of Paris as well as the press presentations of Marikina Shoe Expo.

Paulina Porizkova is dying to see me model for Victoria's Secret and So-En.

Tyra said I can surely endorse Lancome and Ever Bilena.

Oh, enough of the platitudes. Blush, blush. I know I can be on top.

Must-watch: Turtles Can Fly

Surreal. Harrowing. Unforgettable.

Turtles Can Fly (2004)
by Bahman Ghobadi

Lyka Made My Day

Quick post!

I was having a calm Friday morning, reading on meta-ethics and moral relativism, when suddenly Lyka Bergen, the La Toya Jackson of San Francisco, chatted me up on YM. Of course, there's the usual binayot achuchu and some beauty pageant and Project Runway talk.

Things took a tragic turn though when he sent me the link of Preview magazine, one of the top fashion magazines in Las Islas Filipinas. The discussion of the day is the red carpet pictures of Preiview's Best-Dressed Ball 2009. So we started exchanging comments on the clothes of the celebrities who made it to the list.

Below is the minutes of the meeting... with minor editing on grammar and typo and to make it more concise and coherent, but the rest is exactly how we reacted the moment we saw the pictures.

All photos are from Stylebible.

Divine Lee wearing a Balmain jacket, a dress by Rajo Laurel, and Lanvin heels.

kawadjan: si divine lee!!!! kainis. balmain!!! i wish divine ang name ko.

Melissa Dizon in a dress of her own design and Alexander McQueen boots.

Lyka Bergen: and Melissa Dizon. Kalokah. Alexander McQueen ang boots ng Melissa Dizon!

kawadjan: OA sya sa sunburn ha. OA sya sa tanning spray. nag-tanning siguro sila sabay ni jez patel.

Bea Soriano wearing Randy Ortiz, an H&M vest, and Gareth Pugh platforms.

kawadjan: si bea soriano in gareth pugh. nag tumbling ako. pero ang laki ng hair ha. di k o bet. as in gusto ko syang sabunotan!!!! kainis sya!!! she needs a proper stylist. best dressed na yan??? haler! *poot mood* besides, you should not wear H&M in a function di ba? Ewwww... di ko kaya.

Lyka Bergen: tawa kami ng tawa ni Mama O

kawadjan: if i wear an h&m vest i would not give the brand name to the magazine. sasabihin ko na lang na vintage. mas romantic pakinggan.

Pam Quiñones in an Ivarluski Aseron gown and Acne booties.

Lyka Bergen: bilisan mo na kay Pam Quinones

kawadjan: pam na now. oh. it's a poor imitation of some balmain gown and the f/w collection of gucci. it's bad. the gown is shapeless.

Lyka Bergen: true

kawadjan: omg, ang cheap ng fabrique! lalo na yung lining! omg, divisoria? colon sa cebu? tutuban? omg.

Lyka Bergen: hahahaha

kawadjan: and acne boots??? gosh, refer to the h&m comment

Lyka Bergen: gagah ka talaga

kawadjan: some celebs in our country can be quite delusional.

Lyka Bergen: oo nga. basta may pangalan lang ang sinusuot... pwede na

kawadjan: korak! di nila alam ang relative importance nito sa fashion industry

Lyka Bergen: at Preview pa to ha

Maricel Soriano in a Lanvin dress and Viktor & Rolf heels.

kawadjan: gusto ko si maricel. classy. but a bit boring.

Anne Curtis in a dress by Eric delos Santos and Christian Louboutin heels.

kawadjan: omg anne curtis. i closed the window na. i died.

Lyka Bergen: hahaha

kawadjan: i puked sa coffee mug ko. gosh. i might take a sick leave.

Preview Best Dressed 2008: Mai Kauffman in an Estien Quijano dress and Zara heels.

kawadjan: OMG... mai kauffman... i died the second time today. everything's just WRONG about her, starting with her make-up!

Lyka Bergen: true girl

kawadjan: zara heels! groundbreaking! as in zara!!! refer again to h&m comment.

Amina Aranaz-Alunan in a dress by Jan Garcia, Aldo heels and an Aranaz bag.

kawadjan: amina!!! omg, omg, is she pregnant? even if she is pregnant there is no excuse for wearing something so bad!!! saan galing ang tela?

Lyka Bergen: very Ms Colombia

kawadjan: i know!!!

Ria Bolivar in a Tina Daniac dress and Nine West wedges.

Lyka Bergen: I lyk Ria's. kasi Model sya. kahit ano... carry nya.

kawadjan: hmmmmm.... di ko bet ning. i'm sorry. ang gulo ng damit nya. and the shoes are sooooo wrong for the dress. too much.

Lyka Bergen: yun nga lang ang shoes

Preview Editor-In-Chief Pauline Juan in Mich Dulce.

kawadjan: ay sino itong si pauline juan? sya ang love ko.

Lyka Bergen: yeah Mich Dulce

kawadjan: she is perfect... well, she could have made the skirt shorter but she is divine as it is. winner! what do you think?

Lyka Bergen: true ka about the skirt

Preview Fashion Editor Liz Uy in Joey Samson and YSL Tribute pumps.

kawadjan: i love liz uy ning. what do you think of that black thing?

Lyka Bergen: safe.

Preview Best Dressed 2005 and Preview Associate Fashion Editor Daryl Chang in an outfit by Cary Santiago and Stella Luna heels.

kawadjan: daryl chang is the new bai ling?!



And these are already the best-dressed in Manille???

Hay, I need to see a psychiatrist now. I'm traumatized.

Lyka, I hate you. Beso, beso. Tse!


Post-script...

After posting this entry, I got comments from both Fuchsiaboy and Mel Beckham that the theme of the party was Barbie (thanks, bitches), hence probably explaining why the colors were a bit too bubblegum for our taste, ditto for the make-up and the hair.

I just feel that I need to mention that so that the readers would have a better understanding of the event in connection with the fashion of the evening.

Besides, that shows how we can easily criticize people without knowing exactly the context, and in this case, truly, that is my weakness.

Round Deux

I have accumulated a long list of topics in my notebook that I plan to blog about but I never had to chance to mull them over until they are finally buried in the rubble of other lists like names of supermodels and gay quotes from friends. [How about starting a post with a confusing run-on sentence, bitch?]

Anyway, one of the topics I've since overlooked is "second chances".

Rain caught Maggie Cheung and me while walking from Khao San Road last night so we were stuck in an awning for probably half an hour while the cold wind battered our frail bodies. Charot! We thus had the chance to get deep into the "second chances" discussion because she is doing a "second round" herself.

Oh, "second chances" and "second round" are terms I give to situations in which people decide to get back together after a temporary break-up.

In Tagalog: nagkabalikan. *Please someone give me an OPM soundtrack here.*

Incidentally, quite a number of my friends have recently gone through second rounds (again, you know who you are, girls). Obviously the reasons to give a relationship another chance are varied but it seems the overarching reason is that they still love their erstwhile exes.

I'm swooned with the idea of people giving love another chance. After all, a big part of loving is having the audacity to "just go for it", whatever "it" means. It's almost akin to blind faith.

I'm always happy to hear of friends who are doing well in their second round but it obviously breaks my heart to see some of my friends who took the opposite direction instead. I've even heard of people who took a third, fourth, fifth round but that does not still ensure that every renewal of a relationship would last long.

This clearly shows that there is no definite way to tell if second chances work.

God knows I'm NOT a relationship expert but here's my take on this topic: second chances work only if people do not make the same mistakes that destroyed the relationship to begin with. How profound, di ba? *The bayot rolls his eyes.*

People who give a second round to relationships are hoping that things would be a little different this time around, otherwise what's the point, right?

I'm sure it's very complicated coz at the same time the parties involved have to fully embrace the relationship like they're starting all over again. All the past issues should be settled and all past offenses be forgiven. I suppose the success or failure of second chances are contingent primarily (but not solely) on that.

Uh oh, I'd better shut up now. What do I know about these things anyway.

Well, I just thought that it'd be nice to invite some discussion on second chances. What are your thoughts on this?

While you think about that, let me call on the wisdom of Madonna (who else should it be anyway?)...

Gimme one more chance
Tell me that it's not too late
Let me win your love
Darlin' please don't hesitate
If you care for me
Be there for me

-- One More Chance
in Something to Remember, 1996

I Want

OMG, this made my heart race.

Now who do I need to blow...?

From perhaps the most preeminent street style photographer and blogger of the moment: The Sartorialist. Coming out 12 August.

When Love Takes Over

This is my current favorite dance floor music, which I have been listening to in my PC for some weeks now. Finally it was played in the club last weekend when I went out with not-too-obese Bubbles (peace, Juliana Imai... mwah, mwah).

The song's called When Love Takes Over, by David Guetta (I'm sorry, I don't have any idea who he is exactly) featuring Kelly Rowland.

BTW, Kelly is the host of The Fashion Show, that copycat of Project Runway. It's on Youtube, bitches. Lyka, you are watching this, right?

One of the designers who reached the top three is a Filipino BTW, and his name is James Paul. Just an FYI. I doubt he'd win coz he's way too avant-garde and is thus not compatible with American viewers (there's a public voting, which I truly, truly detest... what do Americans know about fashion?)

Oh, just press play.

[Edit: Changed the clip into the music video. Kelly is quite pretty, chai mai?]

When love takes over yeaaah
You know you can’t deny
When love takes over yeaaah
‘Cause something’s here tonight

Yes, Simon, I'd Marry You

Oh, the beauty of male youth. God knows how much time I spend everyday on looking at pictures and pictures of these lithe and exuberant creatures (check the side bar titled Hombres).

Not that I'm turning into some pederast or something equally vile. Far from it. But that's just me. I adore men (or perhaps boys) who are lanky and with zero body fat and we all know that youth affords us with a crazy metabolism. Get the connection now?

Skinny male models have been in the rage for some years now and there's no sign of that slowing down yet, thank God. Season after season, we are seeing the stratospheric rise of relatively frail-looking models such as Cole Mohr, Ashley Stymest, Luke Worral, Josh Beech, etc. (These boys are also quite known for their rebellious personalities, which obviously adds to their appeal in the fashion industry.)

My current (OK, perhaps for several seasons now) male model crush is the cherubic Simon Nessman, who's probably best known for his pillowy lips, curly hair, and of course scrawny frame. OMG, I would give up all my shoes for Simon.

Born in 1990 in British Columbia, Simon signed up for Major Models Management in 2007 and has since then been photographed by Mario Testino, Bruce Weber, and Matthias Vriens. He has also been featured in various magazines such as V, Dazed and Confused, GQ, Vogue Paris, and L'Uomo Vogue, as well as appearing in the campaigns of D&G, Givenchy, and lately an underwear campaign for John Galliano.

You can check out his tags in the Major Models Management blog.

Coincidentally, I'm also developing an enormous crush on equally-scrawny newcomer Patrick Kafka, who is also under Major Models. I would give up all my scarves for him too!


Patrick is only 17 and hails from Vienna. I've seen him in a number of editorials over the past months and he was also all over the Spring-Summer 2010 shows, thus he was listed by Models.com as one of the Top Ten New Faces for that season.

His tag on Major Models is found here. He also has a collection of photos in Morphosis.

Are You Asian?

Lookie, lookie, bitches.

This pouty blog is again featured in one of my suki blog, the uber fierce and gorge Lyka Bergen and Her Stepsisters blog (a.k.a. Las Tres Estrellas). Lyka's post is titled The Great Asian Pose, which is inspired by three pictures of Maggie Cheung, Bubbles, and moi that I posted on Facebook.

The photos were taken in Khao San Road last Friday evening when we went drinking to celebrate the return of Maggie Cheung (I couldn't be more than thrilled!).

Anyway, our version of the Great Asian Pose is just also inspired by an entry from the super gay, Gayz of Our Lives (I'm freaking crazy over this blog).

Gayz of Our Lives was similarly just following the examples of the very influential blog Asian Poses.

Now, bitches, there is no excuse why you shouldn't follow suit. Better whip out that camera, werq those Asian poses, and post them on your blog.

EDIT: Oh, so Fuchsiaboy just released his own Asian Pose. Talbog sa styling!!! Carine is proud.

Oh, BTW, I have been twitting for months now, attention hog that I am. Who wants to exchange links? My profile is @GirardPhilip. I follow you, you follow me. Up to you, as the Thais would say.

Ode to BKK: Hidden Beauty

[This entry is recycled from a "photo blog" I posted on Facebook last April, just around the Songkran Festival. Few of my Facebook friends must've read this before but today I'm sharing it on the blog as part of the series on BKK. I think the post captures my mood when I took these photos, showing how, in myriad forms, the city kindles inspiration even in the most unlikely places.]

I walked from the Democracy Monument to my building last Saturday afternoon. The streets were pretty empty. Most people of the city were away for the Buddhist New Year.

I found my self in a neighborhood of shop-houses, which are some of my favorite architectural features of Bangkok particularly in Ratanakosin Island and the adjoining area.

That afternoon, I was lucky to see more than just the rows of shop-houses that were mostly shuttered for the long holiday anyway.

I stumbled into an old building that did not look traditionally Thai to me, I guess constructed at the turn of the century when Bangkok went through a major face lift, including the addition of many Western-style buildings.

I remember being drawn to the building several times before while riding a cab, but not until last Saturday did I see it up close. I’ve always wondered what it was for. Clearly, it is not being used at the moment, perhaps for many years now.

Its beauty is not lost though, especially in its splendid details of floral motifs on the grills and on the reliefs generously adorning its facade, together with cherubs’ faces on its columns. On the second floor, green windows give the structure a streak of color while an ornate arch serves as its crown.

Turning right on Dinso street, I crossed the canal in Saphan Wan Chat where I saw this arched bridge spanning the fetid, muddy water. A tree is on one side of the canal, its red flowers seemingly put afire by the setting sun.

The juxtaposition of the graceful curve of bridge and the radiance of the tree, both reflected on the putrid waterway, is entrancing, an image that one often finds in the most unlikely corners of Bangkok if you keep your eyes open.

Exploring the Palaces of Petchaburi

Today I took a short but truly wonderful trip with Shanghai Tang to Petchaburi, a province around two hours south of BKK.

Our first stop was the Phra Nakon Khiri National Museum (constructed in 1859), a palace complex sitting on top of a hill with breath-taking views of Petchaburi.

We started with a very brief cable car ride to the top of the hill. We then explored the compound, which is a mix of a palace, a stupa, and a smallish temple all scattered on three main peaks of the hill top. The style of the structures is an elegant mix of Chinese, European, and Thai influences and the buildings seem to rise from a teeming canopy.

We also dropped by the imposing Phra Ram Ratchaniwet (constructed in 1910-1916), a resort house of King Rama VI. A German architect was commissioned to design the palace. The vast interior has dazzling touches of Jugendstil or Art Nouveau, with glazed tiles on the floor and the walls.

Obviously, the style is very European, but was adapted to tropical climate through numerous wide windows and grills on the walls to enhance air circulation. The steep roof was maintained though, which to me was just an awful waste of space. LOL. But then, palaces are mostly whimsical anyway.